South Dakota State quarterback Mark Gronowski was honored Sunday as Co-Missouri Valley Football Conference Offensive Player of the Week after helping lead the top-ranked Jackrabbits to a come-from-behind victory at No. 20 North Dakota a day earlier.
A sophomore from Naperville, Illinois, Gronowski accounted for a career-high five touchdowns — three passing and two rushing — in the 49-35 Jackrabbit victory. He completed 15-of-20 passes for 197 yards, including a 32-yard touchdown pass to Tucker Kraft late in the first half that pulled SDSU to within 21-14, followed by scoring tosses of 10 yards to Jaxon Janke and 2 yards to Zach Heins in the third quarter, the last of which gave the Jackrabbits a lead they would not relinquish.
Gronowski capped a 21-point third quarter with a 1-yard touchdown run, then added a 10-yard rushing TD in the fourth quarter. Gronowski, who shared the award with Northern Iowa running back Dom Williams, also recorded a 16-yard reception that set up his first rushing touchdown.
The award is the second of the season for Gronowski, who also was honored after the Jackrabbits’ league-opening victory at Missouri State on Sept. 24.
SDSU, 7-1 overall and 5-0 in the Missouri Valley Football Conference, hosts Indiana State in the annual Hobo Day game on Saturday. Kickoff is slated for 2 p.m. at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium.
